Jim lived in the country and worked in town. He had a neurosis of sorts. It filled time in the car on the way to work. He would have to spy eight species of plant life, eight species of birds, and eight species of mammals. He would do all three categories at once, which meant he had to maintain three separate countings at the same time. If he got all twenty-four, then he would have a lucky day.

Eight plant species were spied quickly.

Eight bird species were spied fairly quickly.

Eight species of mammal…

Luckily there was a field on a corner where there was always a donkey and three alpacas. And then, later there were always two deer in another field. That made it easy to get to eight. The other animals were common.

He arrived at work, minus spying the eighth. He didn’t stop. He drove around the block. Perhaps someone would be taking their dog for a walk. Perhaps someone’s cat would cross the road. He couldn’t see an eighth mammal. This was to be an unlucky day. He couldn’t put off going into the office any longer.